My Real Life Prince Charming
by breakaway27
Summary: He was my prince charming in every sense of the word. It was cliche, and I didn't think I would ever think it, but it was true. I had found my perfect match in Percy Weasley. He saved me from myself day after day, and I liked to think that I helped him escape his own inner turmoil, too.
1. Chapter 1

He wasn't exactly what I would have picked out for myself. He was organized, punctual, and a rule-follower. He was distant from his family, always saying he had perpetually ruined his relationship with them. He drank copious amounts of coffee in the mornings because he was always up too late working on files from work.

At the same time, he was endearing, respectful, and dedicated. He worried that he wouldn't have the chance to ever repair the relationship with his family, especially his father. He spent hours cuddling with me on our sofa as I read one book after the other for work.

He was my prince charming in every sense of the word. It was cliche, and I didn't think I would ever think it, but it was true. I had found my perfect match in Percy Weasley. He saved me from myself day after day, and I liked to think that I helped him escape his own inner turmoil, too.

I glanced at the stack of books I had to get through for the publishing company I worked with, and sighed. "Percy, I need a break," I announced suddenly.

He looked up from his spot at the dinning room table. "Do you want to go out for dinner?"

Abandoning my work on the sofa, I strode over to him and wrapped my arms around his neck. "I was thinking more like we take a vacation."

"Love, it's not a good time for something like that. There are too many deadlines at work. Maybe in a few weeks, but-"

I slid onto his lap, forcing him to focus all of his attention on me. "Percy, it's one of those rare times where the temperature is above sixty. Why don't we rent a house down the shore? We'll spend a week relaxing, clearing our minds..."

"A week? Audrey, I really don't-"

I flipped open his schedule book and looked through the week to see if he had any deadlines or meetings to make. "Percy, you are absolutely free for this week. Please, sweetheart? We can invite your family and just-"

"Audrey, my family? Is that what this is about?"

After giving up, I moved from his lap and went to collapse on the sofa. "I want to get on with our future, Percy," I said in frustration. "Can't I meet your family? We've been together for two years now! I thought we could take some time off of work, relax together, and spend time with your family. If you don't want to, then fine."

Arms were suddenly lifting me off of the sofa and throwing me over his shoulder. "One week. That is all, love. Understood?"

I smacked his butt with a laugh. "I love you!"

He tossed me onto our bed and grabbed a suitcase from the closet. "I'm telling you right now to not get your hopes up about my family. I doubt they will all be able to get time off of work at such short notice."

I wiggled around the bed until I was laying on my stomach with my hands propping my head up. "Even if it's just one person, I'll be happy."

I continued watching him pack clothes, admiring the view of his body, until he turned to look at me. "Are you going to find us a house or shall we pack tents?" he teased.

"Camping?" I exclaimed. "Oh! Do you think your family would like that?"

He started laughing and didn't stop until I pulled him so he would collapse on the bed with me. "Audrey, love? Perhaps you should finish the packing and I will find us a house to rent."

"Sounds like a plan," I mumbled, pecking him quickly on the lips.

* * *

"This is where you grew up?"

He rubbed the back of his neck selfconsciously. "I know it's not much, but-"

"Percy, it's the house of my dreams," I whispered, squeezing his hand. "Actually, I take that back. It's a house that even my dreams couldn't compete with. I love it!"

His face lit up and he walked with me up to the front door. "This will probably go quite bad."

I rolled my eyes. "You've only kept our relationship a secret for two years," I muttered.

He winced at that and his hand froze before it reached the door. "Audrey, I am so sorry, love," he murmured. "I should have... I was just... My family is..."

I moved to my tiptoes and kissed him. "Percy, we've been over this time and time again. We needed to establish our relationship before we made it public, especially with all of the press surrounding you and your job."

I guided my hand to his and rapped on the door before either of us could back out. "Besides, I would love to come visit you for lunch at work sometime soon."

He chuckled and pulled me in for a quick kiss.

However someone cleared their throat, preventing us from getting carried away. "Perce? I didn't know you were coming for Sunday breakfast."

I glanced up at the tall man in front of me, whose long hair was pulled back with a leather string. The fang earing would have been a little worrisome had Percy not told me about this man before. I was already grinning as Percy tried to form some type of answer. "You must be Bill!"

The man looked between Percy and I, then his eyes fell to our intertwined hands. "I am. However I'm afraid to say that I haven't the slightest idea who you are." His eyes held a twinkle of humor, causing my grin to grow even more.

Percy stumbled over his words and I leaned into his side. "This-She-I-We are-This-" He glanced around and then back to his eldest brother. "Is everyone here?" he whispered.

"Yeah, Perce. Why? What's up? You going to be a dad?"

Percy started choking, causing me to burst into laughter. "Oh, Percy! Sweetheart, you're much too worried." I pulled him into my arms and placed a kiss on his cheek. "Just remember my name and that we're dating. That's all you have to say, I promise."

"You've got a levelheaded girl there, Perce," Bill admired. "Now stop standing there, and come in. Everyone's just finished eating."

I trailed behind Percy and his brother, holding on of Percy's hands in both of mine. We walked through the house while I attempted to look around and take everything in.

"Mum, Percy's here!" Bill announced as we stepped into what looked like the family room.

"Percy?" A woman, who I recognized from the pictures Percy had in our flat, rushed to Percy and yanked him into her arms. His mom fawned over him, kissing his cheeks and squeezing him tight. "You've missed breakfast, but I'm sure I can whip something up for you. You'll stay for a while, right, dear?"

"Actually, Mum, we've already eaten."

"We? Who...," she trailed off as her eyes settled on me. "Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't even see you there!"

I bounced forward and hugged her. "I'm Audrey. It's so nice to finally meet you! I'm sorry we didn't come sooner, we could have helped with breakfast. This was a bit of a last minute decision."

Percy's arms finally wrapped around my waist and I was pulled against his chest. "Mum, this is Audrey...my girlfriend."

The silence hung over the room like a thick cloud until her face broke into a breathtaking grin. "I didn't know you had a girlfriend, Percy."

He shuffled slightly before giving me a squeeze. "We just had our two year anniversary," he admitted softly.

Before the desperation and glum could come over her, I turned my head to smile at Percy behind me. "It's taken us a little while to really commit to each other because of our pasts, but I'm so happy I'm finally meeting all of you. Percy's told me all about you! Well not all, of course, but he tells me stories all the time."

Molly grinned again, nodding slightly. "Welcome to the family, Audrey," she whispered.

I nearly jumped with excitement. I turned around to face Percy. He was staring over my shoulder at his mom. "See? I told you it'd go okay, sweetheart! No worries!"

"Mum, I-_we_ were going to tell you all much sooner. We just-"

Molly waved him off. "Nonsense. Now, why don't you two sit down while I make tea?"

Percy tucked me into his side and I wrapped my arms around his waist. He glanced down at me, his eyes were searching for encouragement. I nodded my head, urging him on. "Before you do that, I should tell you the rest or else I'll lose my nerve."

"That'll be a first." I glanced at the brother who said that; George. I internally winced as I knew George was the brother that Percy had the most trouble with. He felt indebted to him forever.

"Audrey convinced me to take a vacation, so we rented a house on the beach," he announced. "We really hope that you all will come join us for the week."

"You took a week off of work?"

Percy nodded at his youngest brother. "I had my reservations, but Audrey can be stubborn."

I laughed at his words. "I prefer the term persuasive."

We stood there whilst Percy's family discussed if it was even fessible to leave everything for a week.

"A little more planning would have been nice, Percy," his sister, Ginny said. "It's a little hard for us to just drop everything for a week."

"I know, and I'm sorry. We don't expect you all to go if you can't. Honestly, we didn't know we were going until this morning. Audrey decided we needed time away from work."

"You, Percy Weasley, decided to drop all prior obligations mere hours ago to run away on a vacation with your girlfriend, who you've hidden for the past two years?"

Percy squirmed under the watchful eyes of George. "Yes."

George grinned wickedly at the girl curled up beside him. "What'd ya say, Ange? Think you're up for a week at the beach?"


	2. Chapter 2

**Sorry for the wait! I wasn't sure if I should continue on with this story... Hope you guys like it!**

* * *

"I like 'em."

Percy looked up from where he was making snacks for us and chuckled. "I'm happy, love. They like you, too."

I swung my legs back and forth after hopping up on the counter beside him. I grabbed a bottle of wine from the group Percy and I had picked up during a quick grocery trip. "Would you do the honor?"

He glanced at the bottle I held out to him, grinning as he waved his wand for me. "You know, I'm sure we have a bottle opener around here."

"We can put the cork back in the bottle and look for it if you'd like," I teased.

"Alright, Percy. What's the deal?" Ron asked.

I glanced up to see his family coming into the kitchen after unpacking their things upstairs.

"What are you talking about, Ron?" Percy said quietly.

I could tell he was already worrying about spending an entire week with his family. In the last two years, Percy spent nearly every day with me in our flat. He rarely visited his family; only briefly on holidays. He was still so concerned with what had happened during the war that he wouldn't give himself a chance to make true amends. Percy sighed, turning back to the food with a frown seemingly permanently etched into his face.

I leaned over and kissed his cheek. "There's no _deal_. We needed a break from work and I've gotten tired of waiting to meet all of you. This is just a week where I can drag Percy away from the Ministry while getting to spend time getting to know everyone."

George grabbed the bottle of wine from me and started pouring it into the glasses we had set out. "I'm glad Percy found you, Audrey," he said before clinking glasses with me. "Even if you do have a strange American accent."

I took a swig from my glass and handed it over to Percy. "Well, it's what made him fall in love with me."

Abandoning the food, Percy's arm wrapped around my waist. "It was actually your cooking. Your accent was just a plus." He adjusted his glasses and turned to face his family.

"Mmm, sort of like the magic thing was just a plus," I teased.

"Ah, so you are a muggle," Ginny mumbled.

I laughed at her term, slipping off of the counter to start filling the other glasses. "Such a silly word," I murmured under my breath.

Percy chuckled at me. "Yes, she's a muggle, Gin. Her father-"

"My father is not important," I said quickly.

Percy winced as he realized what he was just about to say. He leaned in close to my ear. "I'm sorry, love," he whispered.

I shook my head quickly and grabbed my wine glass. "I'm going to go unpack our things."

His arms tangled around my waist. "I'll help. You guys just make yourselves at home." I let him lead us up the staircase to the bedroom we were staying in. He shut the door before I found myself being tossed onto the bed. He peppered kisses along my neck, freezing as my breath hitched in my throat. "Audrey, you're here with me," he whispered.

My eyes clenched shut as my jaw locked. It was starting all over again.

_The walls echoed as the knife sliced through my back. I screamed that I knew nothing over and over again. They wouldn't stop. Nothing would stop them. A lighter burnt into the back of my thigh, a white hot flash ripping through my body. _

"Audrey. Audrey, love, open your eyes." Warm lips pressed against my eyelids and I clutched at his arms as I finally snapped out of it. He sighed, his sweet breath brushing across my face. "I'm here. I have you, love."

"Why didn't they just kill me?" I gasped.

He shook his head and sat up against the headboard. He easily scooped me up and curled his body around me protectively. "I don't know, Audrey, but I will forever be thankful."

My hands grasped onto his button-down shirt, holding myself tight against him. "Don't leave me."

His lips pressed against my temple. "Never."

OOO

"Audrey's not hungry at the moment. She said to go ahead and eat without her."

Molly looked at her son apprehensively. "Percy, what..." she trailed off.

"She was tortured, wasn't she?" Hermoine asked quietly.

"Yes. She doesn't talk about it. I'm sorry you heard that. I'll make sure to put up the silencing charms, so it doesn't happen again."

George set down his bottle of butterbear. "Hey, Perce?"

He glanced over at his brother.

"I don't blame you for Fred's death."

"I-I-I-"

George shrugged his shoulders. "We all know why you've been staying away from us these past few years."

"Do you think maybe you and Audrey will start coming to Sunday breakfast?" Ginny asked softly from her spot in Harry's arms.

Percy rubbed the back of his neck selfconsciously. "With our schedules-"

"We will."

Percy's eyes shot to the staircase he had just come down. He sighed, opening his arms to her. "I thought you were sleeping, love."

She mumbled something quietly to him before leaning into his embrace.

Molly stared at her once troubled son with a smile as Arthur squeezed her shoulders affectionately. "Should I start dinner then?"

Percy glanced at Audrey. "Perhaps you should go relax," he started.

She rolled her eyes. "I'll cook dinner. Maybe you could help me, though, Molly?"

Her eyes lit up at the suggestion. "I'd love to."

OOO

"How'd you and Percy meet?" Molly asked as we waited for the pasta to finish cooking.

I smiled at the memory, and, after taking a sip of my wine saw Percy enter the kitchen looking sneaky. "Listening in, are you?"

He at least had the decency to look bashful. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Well why don't you tell her yourself?"

He sat down at the island and pulled me to sit on his lap. "I was walking to a coffee shop after a long day at work. I got my coffee and turned around to leave and spilt the entire thing on her. I was so frazzled that I admitted to not eating recently and being stressed from work. She took pity on me and insisted that I come to her house for dinner."

"And what'd I make?"

He grinned at me. "Spaghetti and garlic bread, and it was the best damn meal I've ever had."

"Why'd you take him in? I would have hexed him into his next life for burning me with coffee."

I laughed at Ginny's words and shrugged. "I fell in love with him the minute I saw him fumbling around for napkins and apologizing at the same time. Even though he burnt me, I still wanted to give him a chance."

"Thank Merlin you did." He placed a quick kiss on my cheek.

"Two weeks later we got an apartment together and here we are."

"Two weeks?" Ginny repeated incredulously. "I didn't think you were capable of something like that, Percy."  
He grinned at me, twining our hands together. "Both of our contracts were coming up to a renewal, so it seemed like a good idea." His arms wrapped around my waist. "It's nice coming home to someone every night," he said softly.

"You're such a mush," I teased.

The rest of the night went by in much of the same fashion. We ate dinner sitting around the table that a few of them charmed to be larger. Afterwards we all relaxed in the living room, lounging on the sofas, chairs, and floor. Teddy, Harry's godson, found his way onto my lap. He started out reciting his alphabet to me and gradually his voice turned into quiet little snores as he wormed his way into my arms.

Harry chuckled. "Sorry about him. He's not usually so _friendly_ with new people."

I stroked back the little boys turquiose hair. "He's fine. Such a sweetheart, actually."

"How much longer till you have one, Perce?" Bill joked.

"Not too much longer," Percy answered, completely serious. I bit my lip to keep from grinning as he seemed to snap out of it. "I...uh...I just meant-"

I patted his hand. "We'll have a baby when we're married and out of the city."

"You don't like the city?" Fleur asked.

"Oh no. It's positively horrible; too much hustle and bustle. I can't wait to finally get a house out in the country. It'll be so nice to live where we can be who we are with no interruptions."

Arthur looked at us as if hearing something else in my words. "That'll be a while, though, won't it? Usually it's preferred that the Minister is close to the Ministry building."

Percy swirled the contents of his glass, shrugging nonchalantly. "I think we'll be out of the city within the year."

"Are you saying...?"

"Being Minister of Magic isn't what I want for myself anymore," he said, pulling me into his side. "The publishing company Audrey works for is already preparing for us to move out of the city, so we know she'll be set. I'll put in my resignation once we've found the house. After that, I'll find something to do."

"You're giving up your job-"

"To start a family. Yes, Dad."

The tiny boy in my arms wiggled and wiggled until his eyes met mine. "You comfy, Audrey," he said.

I gave him a smile. "Thanks, Teddy."


	3. Chapter 3

**Merry Christmas, guys! I hope you like this chapter, and I hope you all have a very merry Christmas! (Or whichever winter holiday you are celebrating this year!)**

* * *

"Percy, don't! Don't you dare!"

"She's exactly what he needed," Molly said quietly as the family sat on the beach, lounging in the sunlight.

Bill continued on with helping Fleur and Victoire build a sandcastle. "I think Fred's death shook him more than all of us realized."

"I've seen her before," George admitted. He looked up from the game he was playing with Harry and Ron to keep Teddy occupied. "I went to visit Fred one day and she was there with him."

"Why didn't you say something sooner?" Angelina asked, looking concerned.

He shrugged. "I guess I thought she was just a friend of Percy's, some kind of mutual support."

"Percy, put me down!" Audrey squealed suddenly. "No! Don't! Percy!"  
Percy tossed Audrey into the crashing waves, laughing as she emerged drenched in salt water. "You said to put you down!"

Before she could do anything he had thrown her over his shoulder and waded out into deeper water. "There are sharks out here, Percy! Do you want us to get eaten?"

OOO

Percy's eyes wandered from the television he had on to me leaning in the doorway to the attached bathroom. "_When_ did you buy _that_?"

I blushed as his eyes took in the navy blue lingerie tanktop and bottom set I was wearing. "A few days ago. Do you like it?"

He pushed the covers back and waited till I was near before he reached out and tugged me onto the bed. "I absolutely love it. What's the occassion?"

"I actually thought that it was too comfortable to wait to wear."

"Mmmm, I bet you'd be more comfortable with it off..."

I rolled my eyes at his attempts and collapsed onto my back. "_Marriage_, Percy, sweetheart."

He groaned in frustration. "Then why tease me so?"

"I thought you'd like my pj's. I can go change..."

His arms caught me up, trapping me in the bed with him. "You drive me crazy," he whispered in my ear.

OOO

Percy had just finished up making tea when the final brother came through the door. George collapsed in the empty chair at the table. "Your silencing charms are bloody terrible, Percy," he muttered, rubbing his face tiredly.

"I'm sorry; at home, I just had to put up one permanent one. I thought maybe she wouldn't be as bad tonight considering how much wine she had drank earlier."

"What happened to her?" Ron asked.

"Ron, that's not mine to-" Percy stopped as he met their exasperated faces. "She doesn't talk about it, so don't any of you mention it unless she brings it up." He went through the motions of sweetening up his tea before taking a sip. After procrastinating for as long as he could, he rested his cup on the table again. "The night of Bill and Fleur's wedding, when the death eaters showed up, all of that was a show. They knew they weren't going to capture Harry that night. There was another group of death eaters who went after Audrey and her family. They ended up torturing her, and leaving her for dead the night of the battle."

"How long did they wait till they killed her family? Though I can't believe they killed her father if he-"

Percy glared at George. "We don't talk about her family. They're selfish, inconsiderate, bast-"

"Percy?" Audrey called out from the staircase.

Harry leaned in slightly closer. "They left, didn't they?"

Percy's free hand curled into a tight fist as his other fought the urge to throw the cup into the wall to watch it shatter. "They left before most of the death eaters were even aware of the plans. They left her as their sacrifice, those-"

"Percy? Whatever you tried to pull with putting the pillows on your side of the bed didn't work. It's freezing and terribly empty up there." She stopped in the entrance to the dining room before quickly turning around and then returning wrapped up in a quilt.

Percy's brothers snickered, nuding him left and right with copious amounts of winking.

She leaned against the wall with a slight blush to her cheeks. "Are you alright?"

"Hermoine was tortured, too," Ron announced suddenly.

Her face flashed the pain that was clearly still fresh. She managed a mute nod before looking back to Percy. "Are you coming back up soon?" she whispered.

He shot a glare at Ron. "Apologize, now."

OOO

I quickly started shaking her head at them. "No, no. It's fine. I guess those silencing charms didn't work."

"I'll fix them, love. They'll work next time."

I smiled sadly at Percy with a nod. "Okay. Could you make me a cup of tea?"

Once Percy was occupied in the kitchen, I sat down in his seat next to Ron. "He doesn't mean to get angry. He just gets mad at himself because he fears that it could have been one of you who ended up tortured. A part of him thinks he never would have been there to stop it if it had happened."

"Who stopped it for you?"

I felt the tell-tale shiver of pain run down my spine before my eyes met Bill's. "No one. They left the day of the battle and I was able to escape. Of course, as cliche as it sounds, it didn't stop until Percy came along. It's still bad and I'll have the scars forever, but the worlds a better place now."

"We can find them," George said. His voice held no waver of a joke. "We can find them and kill them. You just say the word."

That made me smile. I took the tea Percy held out to me and my smile grew as he moved me so he could sit down with me on his lap. "No, I'm happy now. Besides, killing them wouldn't change anything. I still would have been tortured. Nothing can ever change that."

"It'd be easy to find them."

George made my laugh and shake my head. "I think it'd be best if the Minister of Magic's family wasn't convicted of murder. Besides, no one knows, so it's best if the press is kept out of the loop."

I felt Percy's chin rest against on my left shoulder after his lips pressed against the back of my neck. "I'd like to discuss some things with your father," he muttered. His arms tightened around my waist as a new voice joined in.

"Daddy, I had a nightmare."

Everyone's attention shifted to the little girl sucking on her thumb in the doorway. Victoire rubbed her eyes tiredly with her free hand as she wandered over to Bill. He picked her up beside Percy and I, letting her curl up on his lap. "What was it about, honey?"

"The fire stawted again."

"You're scared of fire, too, Victoire?" I asked.

She looked up at me with wide eyes and a nod. "It's scawy."

I agreed, nodding my head. "What did the fire burn?"

"My feet," she whispered.

"Your feet?" I gasped. "Don't you know there's fire _protectorer_ socks?"

Victoire sat up slightly. Her thumb was momentarily out of her mouth due to it hanging open wide. "Fire pwotectower socks?"

I nodded, trying my hardest to look completely serious. "I'm sure your daddy has a pair in his bag right now."

Bill met my eyes as Victoire asked him if he had any. "I uhmm..."

"Just accio them, Bill," Percy suggested, smiling.

When he said 'accio fire protectorer socks' and nothing happened, he looked at me with worry.

"Just try accio socks." I winked at Victoire. "Sometimes the labels are messed up when the socks are made."

She nodded as if she understood exactly, and her face lit up when she saw the socks fall onto the table infront of us. Her face scrunched up a moment later. "They just socks," she muttered.

Percy shook his head. "See that tiny hole right at the top of that sock?"

"Yes..."

"That's the mark the sock makers add once they've finished sewing it all up."

Vic glanced at me for confirmation and, when I nodded, she smiled. "So the fire won't get me?" she checked.

I wiggled my toes out for her to see. "I wear them every night."

OOO

The next morning Victoire came bounding down the stairs well ahead of Fleur. She hugged my leg with her entire body. "They worked! They weally worked!"

I glanced down at her feet covered in Bill's huge socks and grinned. "I told you they would!"

Her foot touched my bare one. "Where's yours?"

"I don't have to wear mine right now because Percy will put out any fire that starts," I told her matter-of-factly. "Just like I am sure that your mom and dad will do the same for you. The socks keep you safe at night when you need a little extra help, you know?"

She promptly proceeded to sit down and pull of her socks. She ran over to Bill who was enjoying a cup of coffee on the sofa. "Daddy, hold these until bedtime," she requested.

He chuckled and nodded. "Why don't you go play with Teddy, honey?"

She took off down the hall to where Teddy was playing with a toy wand.

"She slept the entire night thanks to those socks," Bill told me. "She's had nightmares for the past year."

Fleur grimaced. "I thought ve vould 'ave to use a sleeping draught on 'er."

"The socks'll last a few weeks and then she'll realize they only protect her feet. You could try 'special pajamas' or something, then." I shrugged at their inquisitive looks. "My dad used to do the same for me. I can't say she'll grow out of the fear, but I'm sure she'll have better luck than me."

Percy's finger traced an all-too familiar burn mark on my left shoulder, completely unconspicuous to everyone else in the room. "So what does everyone want for breakfast?"


	4. Chapter 4

After that week with Percy's family, things began to go downhill. Percy had been quietly talking with Arthur, Ron, and Harry about a house we had found when a coworker overheard. The next day when I went out grocery shopping, the wizarding press snapped dozens of pictures of me that ended up on the front page of every newspaper and magazine there was. Percy and I no longer had a private life. They discovered our apartment building, Percy's family was questioned about us whenever they left their houses, and Percy couldn't escape the stares of his coworkers.

However, in me the fear had settled in stronger than ever. There was no longer a chance of hiding my past from the wizarding world. The press was trying every possible avenue to find my story, which was driving Percy insane. He came home every night positively exhausted, but he refused to ignore the letters that would arrive consistently. They were from friends of his who were working on the newspapers and magazines. They warned us every night of stories that were going to be run the next morning, asking if he wanted to use his power as the Minister of Magic to defer them. I told him that he didn't have to, that they were all lies anyway, but everynight he wrote back asking them to stop the printing of the stories.

Four weeks later, Molly had gotten tired of our excuses and insisted that we come to breakfast or else she would arrive on our doorstep.

Percy managed a smile when he saw me step out of the bathroom. "You look beautiful, love."

I glanced down at the light green sundress and simple white sandals that I had on. "I'll clash horribly with your hair," I said quietly. "Perhaps, I should change."

He pulled me into his arms, kissing the top of my head before threading his fingers into my straight, dark brown hair. "We could never clash," he whispered.

I sighed and wrapped my arms around his middle. "That's not what those newspapers say," I mumbled against him. "Didn't you hear? We've been fighting about whose family we're going to spend your birthday at."

He picked me up, forcing me to wrap my legs around him before he went over to the bed. Suddenly I was underneath of him, my head, laying on one of our plush pillows. "I thought I was spending my birthday with you." His breath brushed against my ear, creating shivers down my spine. His lips found their way up and down my neck, then he moved so he could look me in the eyes. "Audrey, my love, please ignore those newspapers. They're going to print false stories for as long as they can think them up."

"You mean until they find the real story."

"They won't," he promised. He shifted against me, smirking when my eyes glazed over ever so slightly. "I believe we have bigger things to worry about, love."

I pulled him closer with my legs. "Let's stay here for a little while longer."

"Marriage, Audrey, dear." He chuckled at my incredulous look and slipped from my grasp.

OOO

Molly's hands fluttered over us nervously, not saying a word. She stared at us a moment longer before leading us into the living room. "You two sit while I make some tea."

Ron glanced up at us from where he was playing with Teddy and Hermoine on the floor. "You two look bloody terrible."

Ginny smacked the back of his head, but no one disputed his words.

"You don't look terrible, my love," Percy said to me quietly.

I smiled at his words, letting him give me a quick kiss before Molly came back into the room. "Are you two sleeping alright?" she worried. "You look awfully..."

"Mum, we're fine," Percy promised.

"Don't you lie to me, Percy Ignatius-"

"We're trying to adjust to this new life, Molly," I interceded softly. "It came a lot faster than either of us thought."

She seemed to deflate of all anger at Percy as her eyes took us in. Molly gave my knee a pat and then squeezed Percy's hand. "What can we do?"

Percy shook his head. "Nothing, Mum. We're handling it."

A half hour later when we were sitting around the table eating breakfast I felt something nudge against my feet. At first I thought it was Percy trying to flirt and then I realized it was a little boy attempting to cuddle.

"Teddy?" I asked.

He looked up with a yawn. "Tiwed."

"How'd you get under the table?"

He shrugged and wiggled closer.

"Wouldn't you rather come up here with the rest of us?"

His turquiose hair flashed the infamous Weasley red and then returned. "No one's talking to me," he mumbled.

I moved back a little further and opened my arms to him. He sighed quietly, but obliged my request. "I'll talk to you, Teddy. I've been meaning to ask you if you had fun at the beach."

In a matter of seconds the little boy went from being shy and reserved to launching into a full description of everyday we had spent at the beach. He moved around my lap to face Percy so he could describe the day Percy had had too much fun throwing me into the ocean.

Ginny leaned over next to me. "Teddy really warmed up to you," she said quietly. "It makes Harry happy to see him smiling so much."

"He makes me forget everything else going on," I admitted.

OOO

George handed me a glass filled with a liquid Percy had shared with me many times. "Why are you handing me a glass of Firewhiskey?"

His eyes sparked with humor. "You and Percy drink it often?"

"What your brother and I do is between me and him," I teased. "Really, why are you handing me a glass at ten o'clock in the morning?"

He glanced over his shoulder at the kitchen. "The Daily Prophet just came and their stories are-"

"Where's Percy?" I ignored the drink and worked my way to the kitchen to see Percy standing over the small table in the kitchen. His shoulders were tense and his jaw was clenched painfully tight. "Percy?"

His eyes met mine and he shook his head. "I'll deal with it. Don't worry, love."

I ignored Molly, Arthur, Bill, and Fleur and went to his side. In big, bold letters was a headline that declared that I had been cheating on Percy with some man named Nicholas. The article detailed everything down to the fact that the Weasley's no longer had any tolerance for me.

"Percy, there's nothing to-"

"This won't happen again, Audrey. I will fix it. No one will ever think these things of you, I promise."

My hands found his shoulders and I gently eased him from the table. "I did not cheat on you with anyone."

"I know you didn't, love."

"Then who cares what others think? You and I know what is really happening between us and that is all that matters. If we had kids then it'd be different, but the two of us are adults who know how to handle ourselves."

"They can't go on printing-"

I smiled and leaned up to kiss him. "They can print whatever they want. In a few weeks, they'll print that I was tortured and then maybe not too soon after that they'll print that we're engaged..."

That made him laugh, and it wasn't his courteous "_I'm laughing to be polite_" laugh. No, it was his earnest, happy, true to self laugh. "Nice hint," he said, wrapping his arms around my waist.

"The point is," I said, "that we can't control what they write about us. We'll keep things private; our dates can be where they wouldn't expect us, we'll keep your proposal a secret-"

"Are you trying to tell me something, my love?" he teased.

I grinned at him. "Just making sure you've gotten the memo."

He chuckled, pulling me closer. "I have, and I understand what you're trying to say. I just don't want you to be hurt."

I shrugged my shoulders. "'Eh, I'm an American. I can handle the ridiculous rumors that the newspapers comes up with." I glanced over at his family watching us and was suddenly conscious of Percy's hands roaming closer to my bottom. "Perhaps we should return to proper conversation."

He nodded before giving me another kiss. "I need a drink."

"You can have the one George tried to give me. I left it out there with him." I waited till he went out to the living room before letting out a breath I had been holding in. "He won't say it, but he's worried about you all, too." I folded up the paper and turned to look at the four of them. "Eventually they're going to drudge up stories of when he left you all. He feels he deserves everything he gets, but he wants to keep all of you out of it."

A flash of pain crossed Arthur's face, but he was quick to hide it. "Percy's quite different since the war."

"Since he met you," Bill added quietly.

"Audrey, love? Do you want to come watch the Quidditch match?"

"I'll be there in-" My eyes caught a familiar picture on the back of the newspaper. Penelope Clearwater had given an interview on her past relationship with Percy. She was still as beautiful as she was when Percy had first fallen for her.

Molly squeezed my shoulder and turned the newspaper over. "He could live without her," she said quietly, "but he cannot live without you. Trust me, I'm his mum."

I smiled at her and then Percy was there pulling me into his arms. "Are you coming?" I let him kiss me as he tugged me to the backyard where his siblings were fighting over brooms.

A little while later I found myself leaning back against Percy's chest between his legs as we watched his siblings play their second match. He was sitting against one of the trees in their huge orchard, his parents not too far from us with Victoire and Teddy playing with toy wands.

Percy played with my left hand for a torterously long amount of time before his chin rested on my shoulder. "I can't figure out how to ask you properly," he admitted suddenly.

I kept my eyes on Ginny and Bill weaving in and out of the others as they passed a quaffel back and forth. "Percy, I was joking with you earlier, sweetheart. We don't need to get engaged right now. We've got time."

His thumb rubbed circles on my hip bone. "I've been planning it since the first night at the beach," he whispered.

I couldn't help the butterflies that fluttered in my stomach at his words. "Just wait for the right time, Percy."

He chuckled and kissed my neck. "Easy for you to say. You don't have to worry about the perfect ring, perfect words, perfect place."

"Percy, we are everything but perfect. Let's keep it like that."


	5. Chapter 5

Friday rolled around and I had to meet Percy and some of his brothers for lunch. After catching a taxi, I was only two blocks away from the-thankfully-muggle cafe they picked. The early August sun beat down on me as my wedge sandals carried me down the sidewalks in a quaint part of London.

Something caught my eye when I walked past an old candy store, but I continued on. It's nothing, I told myself. Just get to Percy. However a few steps later I made the mistake of stepping too close to an alleyway. Before I could even scream a hand clasped over my mouth and I was shoved against the brick wall into the semi-darkness.

I recognized the all-too familiar smell of muggle chewing tobacco and whiskey.

"I am still so confused as to how you are alive," he sneered as I struggled against his hold. The man who I only knew to be Simon pushed a blade into my hip bone. I couldn't glance down to see how much damage the knife could do, but at the moment he could easily kill me with one swip of his wand. "When we left you that night you were a bleeding mess, but now you are with the Minister of Magic. How does dear old Dad feel about that?"

He chuckled darkly when I squirmed, trying to move from the knife digging into my skin. "Ah, Daddy still not around? What about Mum? No?" His entire body pressed against mine when a group of people walked past. No one would see us, though. No, we were covered in too much darkness for that to ever happen.

I felt my skin rip open as the knife finally pierced me.

"Don't get too comfortable with the arrogant red-head. As a matter of fact, Denver-you remember him, right?-he thinks you should end things with the arse today." The knife dug in harder and harder with every word. "You know, he's in charge since Clayton was killed in the war? I'd follow his requests, Audrey, and remember, we're still watching you. Just because your sleazy father is gone doesn't mean we're content with the way things ended."

He ripped the knife out of my hip and with one last squeeze of my wrist, effectively breaking it, he was gone.

I tried to catch my breath and figure out if I was bleeding too much for public. Once I determined the blood wasn't too noticeable I rushed out of the alley and down the street. Just two doors down from the alley was the cafe. In the very back of the sweet smelling building sat Percy with George, Ron, Bill, and Harry.

It took a mere three seconds for Percy to see the blood seeping through my gray skirt. His hello turned into a frantic quest to sit me down on the inside of the booth so he could see the cut.

"What happened to you?" he demanded, grabbing a wad of paper napkins and pressing them against the gash. When I didn't speak, he finally met my eyes and I think he saw something die out in mine. "Audrey?"

"I'm supposed to leave you," I said quietly. "Okay? Everything will be okay when I leave, I pro-"

"Audrey, what happened?" he repeated.

"Her wrist is swelling," Harry told him.

Percy glanced around to see if anyone was near before he took my face in his hands, forcing me to look at him. "Tell me what happened, Audrey."

"I have to leave," I mumbled, trying to move out of the both, but he refused to let me out.

"One of them is back," he guessed. "Which one? Tell me his name, Audrey. Where did he find you? What did he say?"

The memories were trying to break in, coming through like a bad radio signal. Bits and pieces cut into Percy's words even as the pain from my hip and wrist continued.

"Percy, let's take her to the shop," someone suggested. "Ange can heal her up and then you can get her to talk."

"People are starting to notice us. Five guys with a girl stuck in a booth is not good."

OOO

Angelina's forehead creased in frustration as George ushered her upstairs. "George, do you not see how busy this store is right now?"

"Ange, please, just get upstairs."

Bill shut the door to the flat and Angelina turned to the six of us with her hands on her hips. "What is so important that I just had to come up here?"

Percy pointed to my hip where the blood had now soaked down to the bottom of my knee-length skirt.

Her eyes widened and then she was off rumaging about in the cabinets. "What happened? Was it a curse, stun, or dark magic?"

"Ange, she's a muggle," George started, but I cut him off.

"A knife," I said quietly.

The five brothers quieted before Percy sighed. "I want his name, Audrey," he demanded. "Now."

"I told you, I need to leave," I tried again.

"Damn it, Audrey!" he exclaimed, slamming his hands on the small dining table. "Tell me right now! Enough of this shit!"

My heart stuttered in my chest as his anger sent me back to the months I spent locked in a basement being tortured. He instantly deflated, reaching out only to have me stumbling backwards.

Bill caught me before I could fall. "Easy," he warned.

"Audrey, I'm sorry," Percy told me. "I shouldn't have yelled. I'm sorry, love. I just need you to trust me. They can't hurt you once we find them."

Angelina came over with a few bottles of liquids I was unfamiliar with. She eased her arm around my shoulders and led me to the back of the flat where the bedroom was. "Weasley's have tempers on them," she said quietly. "Are you alright?"

I nodded mutely.

She healed the gash on my hip and then quickly, yet painfully, fixed my wrist. Afterwards, she settled on the bed next to me. "Audrey, do you want to talk about it?"

I glanced at her and then back to the carpeted floor. "One of the men found me when I was walking to the cafe. He told me to leave Percy and that they were still watching me."

"Why are they watching you? The war is long gone."

"In their minds my father got away, so I'm supposed to be payment until he comes back. Percy won't let me leave though. He'll be better off if I get out of here now."

Angelina shook her head. "No, Percy will never be better off without you. After the war, Percy came around a few times, but we could all tell it was just to appease Molly. He never felt like things would change for the better. Now, even I can see that he's putting in so much effort. He lights up when you two are together. Heck! He lights up when you're even mentioned." She squezed my hand. "We're going to keep you safe, but first you have to let all of us in. Remember, a few of us have been tortured or stalked down, too."

"Audrey, love? Are you okay?"

I couldn't help the smile that came over me at Percy's anxious voice. I looked at Angelina and nodded. "Thank you."

She grinned, pulling me in for a hug. "We're family now," she said simply.

Once the door was open, Percy gave me a wide berth of space, eyeing me cautiously. "I'm so sorry, love," he said quickly. "I let my anger get the best of-" He stopped talking the instant my arms wrapped around his waist. "Audrey?"

"Just promise me you won't leave me," I pleaded.

He squeezed me tighter and I felt his lips gently kiss the top of my head. "Never," he promised.

OOO

Later that day we decided to go out for dinner with Percy's siblings to make up for the ruined lunch. Percy pulled me closer as the three photographers insisted on following us the entire way to the restaurant. They repeatedly asked the most ridiculous questions, attempting to get us to speak to them. My personal favorite was what designer made my aqua maxi dress and sandals. Percy glanced down with a chuckle when I laughed at that question. Of course this made the cameras flash even more, causing me to stumble as my vision blurred.

Percy's grasp tightened and he quickened our pace. The restaurant was just down this street. We could see Harry and Ginny just stepping to the door as they spotted us. A few seconds later they ushered me inside before the three of them and let the door close securely behind us.

Inside the restaurant my senses were assaulted with reminders from home. New York pizza, clam chowder, and burgers were being cooked, served, and eaten all around me. I grinned as the hostess led us to the outdoor patio where Percy's siblings were already seated.

"I hope those bloody photographers leave you and Percy alone soon," Ginny told me as she gave me a hug. "I don't know how you stop yourself from hexing them."

"Ah, being a muggle handles that bit for me," I said quietly to her, being careful of what I said with the clueless muggles surrounding us.

Before I could sit down, Percy was greeting a man who I had yet to meet. He grinned between me and his older brother. "Audrey, this is Charlie. Charlie, this is Audrey, my girlfriend."

Charlie gave me a warm hug. "So you're the girl who Mum's been going crazy over."

"I'm not sure that's a good thing or-"

"A very good thing," he assured.

Percy and I settled into chairs, putting me between him and Fleur. Conversation flowed easily as our drinks were served. I took a sip of the margarita I ordered, grinning at Percy as he eased his arm around the back of my chair.

"So why are you back in town, Charlie?" Percy asked.

He smirked after taking a swig of his beer. "Everyone wrote to me saying how serious things were between you and Audrey, so I decided I had to meet her and make sure you weren't making a mistake."

Percy rolled his eyes, but I laughed at his brother. "I consider it to be an honor that you'd leave your..._animals _to meet me," I joked.

Charlie chuckled with a nod to me. "I like this one. You better keep her, Perce. You won't find another like her who will put up with you."

We had all dug into our meals when the waiter brought over a note for me. "That couple over there asked me to give you this," he said simply before walking away.

I knew who sent the note before I even looked at the couple. Mom's perfume was a tell-tale giveaway. I unfolded it reading the simple words before meeting her eyes across the patio.

Percy leaned over to me. "Whose that from, love?"

"I'll be right back," I said, excusing myself from the table. Mom and Dad looked exactly like they did when they left years ago. The only changes was the tiny flecks of gray in Dad's dark hair, and the faint lines that were beginning to appear next to Mom's eyes. Mom stood to give me a hug, but I moved away from her open arms. "What do you need?" I asked.

"Oh, honey!" Mom exclaimed. "I'm so happy that you're alive!"

I rolled my eyes and ignored the looks from the other diners. "If you don't need anything, then I really need to be getting back."

Dad's eyes flickered to where Percy and his family was watching us. "He's not any different than us. He left for his beliefs."

Anger coursed through my veins at his words. "Don't you ever try to justify your actions," I hissed. "You left me here to die. Percy did no such thing, and I don't ever want to hear you try that line again. Percy returned to his family the minute he realized they were in trouble. You ignored me and allowed me to be tortured for months. You made your bed, now lie in it."

"We're getting things settled with the estate, honey," Mom started. "Don't you at least want to come go through everything with us?"

"I want nothing to do with either of you. The same goes for Jackson and Sarah."

"Audrey," Dad started.

I glared at him, tossing their note on the table. "The time for apologies is long past." Percy's arm wrapped around my waist the second I sat back down. I downed my margarita and waved over the waiter for another one. He started to say something, but I simply kissed him. "I have you, that's all that matters."

He grimaced, glancing over at my parents who were deep in conversation. "How mad would you be if I hexed them? I'd be careful-no one would see, I promise."

I patted his cheek with a smile. "Keep your wand in your pocket."

"She won't be saying that when you two get home," George joked.

I sputtered on my drink and errupted into laughter with his brothers. Percy even cracked a grin at his brother's words.


End file.
